Welcome to a magical realm of glistening reflections and underwater sunbeams. 

Through video and photographic imagery, the Florida Aquatic Gems project highlights the extraordinary beauty of our invaluable local water resources in order to encourage thoughtful conservation efforts. The project focuses on diverse aquatic sites that are accessible on public lands within a 30-mile radius of the Holler Fountain at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. It includes enormous freshwater springs, numerous lakes, both fresh & saltwater marshlands, the massive basin of the St. Johns River, the species-diverse estuary on our continent, and broad expanses of undeveloped Atlantic Ocean beach, all atop the prodigious Floridan Aquifer. The Florida Aquatic Gems project functions in support of the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience, a Stetson University initiative that embodies its institutional commitment to healthy waters and an even “greener” future. (Green is one of Stetson's school colors)